Sítio da Nazaré

Sítio is the old clifftop quarter of Nazaré, set on a promontory roughly 110 metres above the beach and the lower town. It is the place for the classic view of Nazaré: from the Miradouro do Suberco at the cliff edge you look straight down over the terracotta roofs of the fishing town and along the great curve of sand to the headlands beyond.

Sítio grew up around devotion to Our Lady of Nazaré and the legend that gave the town its fame. In 1182, it is said, the knight Dom Fuas Roupinho was hunting a deer in thick fog when the animal leapt from the cliff; he called on the Virgin and his horse halted at the very edge. In thanks he built the tiny Ermida da Memória, the chapel that still stands beside the viewpoint, where a hollow in the rock is shown as the mark of the horse's hoof. Pilgrims have come ever since.

The heart of the quarter is the large square of Largo de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, dominated by the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, a baroque church that houses the venerated image of the Virgin. Around the square, women in traditional dress sell dried fruit, nuts and sweets from small stalls, and cafés and souvenir shops line the edges. The pilgrimage festival of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, held each September, brings processions, fairs and crowds.

The easiest way up is the Ascensor da Nazaré, the funicular that has climbed from the lower town since 1889; you can also walk up the steep path and steps or drive. From Sítio a road leads down to the headland and the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, the best place to watch the giant waves of Praia do Norte. Allow an hour or two to enjoy the views, the square and the sanctuary, and come back at sunset, when the light over the beach is at its best.